Tips Category

Coming – ready or not – while we cope with the challenges of the pandemic and changes to how we work, we also get changes to Windows.
Firstly, be aware this is effectively a new load of Windows – its much more than a service pack.
So, what’s new? Well, surprisingly for the size of the update, there is relatively little in the way of [...]

Necessity has made us all experts in video-calling, and it’s left us wanting more!
During lockdown, we got the ability to change the video call background so other participants couldn’t see where you were really calling from, provided you were using a machine that was powerful enough to process the backgrounds. There are a couple of hacks [...]

The COVID-19 lockdown has forced many businesses to re-think how they operate.
We've recruited and inducted new team members, found new ways to engage with clients, (rapidly) developed new digital services and converted our training service into online content.
We've built new tools and given them away - to great success.
It's two years of [...]

Every business webinar is talking about the rush to get businesses back up to speed quickly, and test new business models to be more resilient over the coming weeks and months.
In the same breath, they tell us things will never be the same again - whether its the risk of continued disruption, or the opportunity of more work-from-home, or new [...]

Stand-up meetings have become a mainstay of daily agendas as work teams search for ways to stay connected efficiently, working together seamlessly while ensuring meetings don't linger.
We were reflecting on our own environment and wanted to share a few ideas.
Definition of a Stand Up meeting: A short meeting to assess progress. Typically lasting [...]

Are you ready for the move to COVID-19 Level 3?
Are you ready to track visits of your staff to other workplaces, or visitors to your workplace?
It's not just tracking visits. You have an obligation to check you are not exposing your staff to Covid-19 either in your workplace or where they visit. If the government agencies asked you for a list of [...]

How many working days are there in a month? For many of us doing budgeting, the number of days matter for either income or costs.
For years, I have spent a few moments as part of our budget setting exercise to look through an annual calendar, count the days in each month, then take the holidays I can remember, and exclude them.
There’s a [...]

Working from home is different. Managing staff working from home is also quite different.
Here are a few tools to assist:
Do we know where they are and what they need? How do we discharge our Duty of Care to our colleagues? Introducing the Free Microsoft COVID-19 Crisis Communication PowerApp.
Key features include:
Employees can [...]

Coronavirus in NOT a conspiracy by the tech-industry to get everyone to the cloud.
Imagine trying to get your workforce to work remotely without the cloud, and without ubiquitous connectivity like UFB. Those screeching dial-up modems that disconnected all the time would be dire, especially when the screen used to refresh itself in section. Is that [...]

People are already feeling strain with the rapidly changing face of Covid-19. Stress and tensions are naturally high and for many organisations this could be first time they have asked people to work remotely for extended periods. It’s definitely not our New Zealand cultural norm. Re-creating your culture with your people working remotely is [...]